Suction cleaner



July 7, 1942. E. DETTLE I SUCTION CLEANER; Filed Dec. 2, 1940 {fi .nlllHHhnulllLU HHHIIIIIIIIU'II Patented July 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUCTION CLEANER Lawrence E. Dottie, River Forest, 111., assignor of one-half to Ira J. Wilson, Winnetka, Ill.

A plication December 2, 1940, Serial No. 368,118.

, 2 Claims.

This invention relates to suction or vacuum cleaners and more particularly to the construction of the'suction cleaner nozzle.

Suction cleaners commonly used comprise a suction housing provided with a mouth in the form of an elongated slot which is propelled. over the surface to be cleaned, and in greater or less proximity to said surface in accordance with the setting of 9. provided adjustment. The auction into-the nozzle is constant on both the front and For the purpose of obtaining this desirable.

result, my invention contemplates an, elongated and relatively narrow suction passage having its entrance end disposed at the lower end of the' suction' nozzle and comprising side walls adapted to contact the surface to be cleaned. These walls are so mounted that they may be raised and low-,

ered in alternation relatively to the surface so as to alternately provide and obstruct an ingress slot into the suction passage alternately at the front and rear of such passage. This action produces jerky suction impulses which effectively dislodge from the surface being cleaned those substances and materials which have a tendency to cling thereto.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated on the accompanying drawing preferred embodiments thereof from which, when considered in connection with the following description, the principles of my invention and many of its attendant advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of suction cleaner embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the cleaner head taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fis- Fig. 4 'is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3

' showings modified detail;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

' Referring-to the drawing more in detail, reference. character 1 indicates a motor housing and rear sides thereof, although I am aware that it 8 designates a suction fan housing attached thereto, the motor 9 and the fan rotor ll being contained within these respective housings, as is customary.

A housing l2; sometimes called a suction nozzle, projects forwardly and downwardly from the fan housing, and, in the form shown in Figs, 1, 2

and 3, instead of terminating in a long narrow suction mouth, is made somewhat wider so that.

its front and rearwalls l3 and H are spaced some distance apart and terminate some distance above the surface to be cleaned, asvwill be apparent from Fig. 3.

The depending portion of this housing is provided with a longitudinally extending bearing IS in which is journalled a semi-cylindrical member l6 provided with a passage extending therethrough from top to bottom, as shown. This passage is extended downwardly, between depending walls I! and I8 formed integrally with the oscillating member It or attached thereto by bolts l9 or other suitable fastening means. It will be observed that the passage between these side walls is closed at the ends by end walls 2|, and that the lower edges of these side walls extend downwardly below the housing walls I: and It so that the edges of walls I1 and I8 may contact with the surfaces to be cleaned. The walls are positioned in the proper relation to the surface by adjustable supporting rollers 22 carrying the forward end of the cleaner.

Themember i6 carrying the nozzle proper consistingof the'side walls I I and I8 and the end walls 2| is designed to be oscillated in its supporting bearing, and for this purpose one or both ends thereof is provided with an upstanding car 23 perforated to receive the inwardly bent end of a link 24 which extends through a slot 25 in the housing end wall. This slot is closed .by a plate 26 carried by th link and overlying the outer face of the slot. The opposite, inwardly bent end of the link is connected to a crank 28' carried by a shaft 21 which is journaled in a suitable bearing 28 and isprovided at its inner end with a worm wheel 29 meshing with and adapted to be driven by a worm ll mounted upon the motor shaft 32 between the motor I and the fan motor II. If preferred, the shaft 21 may be extended in the opposite direction as well'and connected through a crank and link with the other end of the oscillating member I so that this member will be driven from both ends instead of from one end only.

When the cleaner is operated, the member I oscillates to swing the nozzle in opposite directions from the center full line position shown in Fig. 3 to the dotted line positions indicated. When the nozzle is in the vertical position illustrated, the lower edges of its walls contact the surface being cleaned, thereby causing a partial vacuum to be built up in the vacuum housing. When it swings to the left from this position, the lower edge of wall ll moving upwardly in an arc withdraws from the surface, permitting a sharp inrush of air which carries with it not only the loose dirt, but any material or substance tending to cling to the surface. When the nozzle swings in the opposite direction, the wall i8 is correspondingly withdrawn from the surface, and a similar inrush of air from the opposite side of the nozzle takes place. These oscillatory movements of the nozzle are positive and continuous and are in nowisev dependent upon the direction of travel of the cleaner. The movements produce a succession of air impulses or intermittent air flows into the nozzle alternately from opposite directions, which produce a superior cleaning eifect to the steady air inflow obtained with ordinary nozzles.

In Figs. '4, and 6, a modified form of nozzle is disclosed wherein instead of an oscillating member carrying a nozzle rigid therewith, the walls of the housing are thickened near their lower ends, as indicated by reference characters 33 and 34, and are provided with vertical guide grooves 35 in which the nozzle side walls 36 and 31 are adapted to vertically reciprocate. The reriprocatory movements may be imparted to these walls in any desired manner, but, as illustrated, a lever 38 connected by links 39 and 4| to the walls is adapted to be oscillated by the link 24 to alternately raise and lower the walls 36 and 31. A plurality of levers fixed on a shaft 42 are preferably employed with this type of construction.

In this modification, the operation is-similar to that above described. As the cleaner travels over the surface, the walls 36 are alternately brought into contact with and withdrawn from the surface being cleaned, thereby producing a succession of air impulses delivered into the suction head alternately from opposite directions. The cleaning efl'ect is similar to that of the oscillating nozzle above described.

The principle of my invention resides in a nozzle which is so manipulated that a vacuum of varying intensity is produced, and the air which carries the material to the surface being cleaned into the cleaner is delivered in a succession of impulses and alternately in opposite directions. The details of the apparatus for car'ying this principle into effect as well as the mechanism for driving the same may obviously be varied within wide limits without departing from the essence of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

-l. A suction cleaner comprising a nozzle housing, means for supporting said housing in spaced relation to the surface being cleaned, a nozzle mounted for oscillatory movement in said housing, including side walls having substantially parallel edges projecting below said housing, the said edges terminating in a single plane and being in position to contact the surface being cleaned, and continuously operating means for oscillating said nozzle to raise and lower said side walls in alternation during travel of the cleaner in both directions, whereby suction entrance to said nozzle is afforded alternately in opposite directions as the cleaner moves over said surface.

2. A suction cleaner comprising a nozzle housing having parallel front and rear side walls forming a mouth, means for supporting said housing inspaced relation to a surface to be cleaned, a nozzle mounted for oscillatory movement in said housing and including side walls substantially parallel with and extending below said housing walls in position to contact the surface being cleaned, and continuously operating means for oscillating said nozzle to raise and lower said side walls in alternation during travel of the cleaner in both directions to thereby alternately obstruct and open said nozzle to produce intermittent suction impulses and induce air flow alternately in opposite directions along the surface being cleaned into said nozzle.

LAWRENCE E. DEITLE. 

